Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-04-17

[Waliam Blake (


The natural destination of women
over thirty is the sofa, a shawl and
neuralgia Surely a most discourage
ing prospect 10 the gentler sex. And
yet il is largely their own fault, for our
girls neglect too frequently the exer-
else which would Danish the latent
weakness which hastens their arrival
at the destination so graphically de
scribed by Mr. Blake In our own city
we find clear demonstrations of the
theory of physical degeneration.
Men who should be our ideals of
strength and beauty are small and of
almost effeminate physique. Girls
who should be able to walk several
miles without fatigue are completely
overcome and good for nothing the
remainder of the day if they walk
many squares. And so il is-the
whole human race is becoming puny
and feeble from lack Of systematic ex-
ercise, upon which depends so much
OF their happiness, particularly of the
girls, since they see across the Ru-
bicon A." the sofa and a shawl, neu-
ralgia and nerves, headaches and
temper.
Miss Bertha Won Hillern is a notable
example of what il is possible for wO-
man 10 accomplish by training. De-
voted and successful artist as she is,
her physical culture is not deemed sec
ond 70 her artistic, and a portion of
each day is given up to this need Of all
natures; il becomes pre-eminently so
To those who give it its rightful con-
sideration. Not only does the material
comfort depend upon regular, moder-
ate exercise, but the mental growth
and development as well. IL stands to
reason that vigorous health influences
| the mental conditions, and that the
man or woman who IS constitutionally
/ the most robust will be capable Of a
| greater amount of intellectual labor.
/ Julian Hawthorne, who is an athlete
mentally and physically, shows his
opinion OF the necessity of regular *
/ ercise for women in the training Of his
| own little daughter. who, although but
eleven years Of age, can walk a mile
in seven minutes easily. Imagine
what a glorious specimen OF woman
hood she will be No shawls or nerves
for her, thanks % her fathers superior
intelligence.
Strength should be a woman's pride
no less than a mans Exercise alone
| will develop il, and at the same time
impart that symmetrical beauty oil
form which characterized the "a godlike
| Greeks Ii has been too long neg
lected in our schools, as the pale faces
of the children will testify Few chill
dren really take any beneficial exercise
while in school The hour. or halt
hour. for recreation in the middle OF
the day Is passed in studying the lessons
for the afternoon session or in walking
up and down the warm rooms and
halls This is partly due 10 the fact
that few II the schools have yards suf
ficiently large 10 accommodate them IL
any pleasant pastime. This Is 20 b.
regretted, AZ Il Is at this period IT !
persons life that physical training
should be doing its work. The intro
duction OF caliSthenic exercises in III,
schools seye, al years ago was the frs
step in the right direction, and gave
the children taste for physical cultur,
. whlch was before unknown % them
Unfoi tunately. they must go through
the various movements and drills II
the schoolFOom. and 50 cannot inhal'
the pure oxygen, which is the mos
essential part Of the benefit The fash
ionahle craze for lawn tennis goes {,
prove that our girls are becoming AWar,
, ~ their deficiency in the matter of cut
door sports. and the enthusiasm whicl
has been developed ia them for thi
! graceful and healthy game shows tha
they appreciate IT,